By Heather Michon
Correspondent
The Fluvanna Board of Supervisors voted to approve a bond issuance of up to $3.75 million for the Albemarle-based soccer organization SOCA at the regular meeting on Wednesday (Sept. 18).
County Administrator Eric Dahl outlined the history and scope of the request, which, he stressed, involves no outlay of funds from Fluvanna County. The Economic Development Authority only acts as a conduit between the banks and SOCA.
“I may have a conflict of interest, as SOCA is a client of mine,” Supervisor Tony O’Brien said after Dahl completed his overview.
After listening to O’Brien’s explanation of his firm’s involvement with the organization, County Attorney Fred Payne said, “it seems to me it would be prudent for you not to participate,” although he said O’Brien did not need to leave the room during the discussion.
Chair Mike Sheridan, a firefighter with the Kent’s Store Volunteer Fire Company, was delayed by a house fire, arriving in the middle of the discussion. Supervisor Mozell Booker was away for the week.
No citizens spoke during the public hearing, but Supervisor Trish Eager questioned SOCA Executive Director Matt Wilson on how many children from Fluvanna play for SOCA’s travel team, the costs of membership, and the structure of local soccer leagues.
Wilson said Fluvanna players were eligible for the same need-based scholarships as Albemarle players, and that, while they were occasionally rivals on the field, he felt Fluvanna’s league and SOCA were “colleagues” off the field.
The motion to approve the Economic Development Authority’s inducement resolution passed 3-0, with O’Brien abstaining and Booker absent.
Later in the session, the supervisors requested that Parks and Recreation Director Aaron Spitzer give a presentation in the coming weeks on how the county might improve the fields for soccer practice at Pleasant Grove.
What color is your water tower?
Supervisors also debated a bit of what may be called “exterior decorating.”
With the water tower project at Zion Crossroads progressing on schedule, Dahl said it was time to start thinking about colors and logo designs.
“We pretty much have to give our contractors some information by the end of October,” said Dahl.
He showed the supervisors computer-generated images with various color choices, including among them “Heavenly Blue,” “Baby Blue,” “Robin’s Egg Blue,” white, tan, and even a bold navy blue.
“I think it’s nice when the tower fits in with the sky,” said Eager. Sheridan concurred the blues were nice.
More of the discussion focused on the logo. Dahl was looking towards using one of the several different logos currently in use by county departments in their literature, but supervisors wondered if they should involve local students for the community in the process.
“We have this thing called ‘My Two Cents,’” Sheridan told the audience, referring to the online suggestion box on the county website. “If you have any ideas, you can either approach one of us or send it to My Two Cents.”
The cost of painting the tower is built into the construction contract, but the logo is likely to cost $15,000 to $30,000 per side, depending on the complexity of the design.
Evidence
Supervisors also approved a budget transfer of $28,500 from the contingency fund to the sheriff’s office for the completion of their evidence storage building. Having outgrown the small evidence room inside the sheriff’s office, in 2018 they purchased a large CONEX box and have been outfitting it for use.
Among other items, the funding will allow the purchase of an evidence refrigerator, security cameras, a Hazmat storage box, and a drying cabinet, all of which are needed for the proper storage of evidence.
The request passed 3-0.
